NEWS
A selection of FirstTouch's best football writing, brought to you by emerging journalists, collaborators, and fans.
2019 AWCON: One last dance for SA & Nigeria as the women cap off a superb tourney
This is it ladies and gentlemen. The final tango of the 2018 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations is here. The most successful team on the continent facing the challenge of the most promising. Time to pick favorites.
“The 2018 AWCON finals are set to be high-energy and tightly contested, one that promises to be an exciting watch. For now, it’s too close to call who will emerge as champions after Saturday’s final. What remains is to pick a side; Banyana Banyana or The Super Falcons.”
Nigeria and South Africa will play each other in the 2018 AWCON finals this Saturday. The winners will be crowned the champions of the continent for the next two years.
Francisca Ordega #17 of Nigeria celebrates her game-tying goal against Sweden with Onome Ebi #5, Asisat Oshoala #8 and Ngozi Ebere #23 during the FIFA Women's World Cup Canada 2015 Group D match between Sweden and Nigeria at Winnipeg Stadium on June 8, 2015 in Winnipeg, Canada.
(June 7, 2015 - Source: Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images North America)
The tournament has come full circle as these two teams will meet for the second time in the finals of the 2018 Africa Women’s Cup of Nations. The Super Eagles conceded a crucial goal in the first encounter and lost the match. Banyana Banyana have played the entire tournament with the same energy and vigour they had during that euphoric 1-0 win. On Tuesday, Banyana dismissed Mali in the semi-final in which they put two goals past Les Aigles without any response from the West African side. While Nigeria had earlier beat out Cameroon in a penalty shoot-out where Cameroonian star player Gaëlle Enganamouit failed to convert from the spot.
South Africa is on the threshold of making history and claiming their very first AWCON title. The 2-0 semi-final victory over Mali already ensures that they will be at the FIFA World Cup in France next year. All eyes are on head coach Desiree Ellis to see whether or not she will be able to do the amazing and lead South Africa to both their first world cup appearance and their first continental cup trophy. The coach who led SA to the 2018 COSAFA title triumph has done an incredible job with the team so far and could be bound for the spectacular.
"Everyone was magnificent, the players, staff, technical team and the people who don't usually get a mention as each and everyone played a part.”
Desiree Ellis, South Africa Head Coach
The Nigerians are very familiar with this stage of the tournament, making it to the finals more times than any other team on the continent. As defending champions, the pressure is on them to assert their dominance over their highly motivated counterparts. The Super Falcons have been less impressive than their foes from the south in this tournament. Despite this, head coach Thomas Dennerby is confident that they can overcome Banyana Banyana to lift the trophy for the 11th time come Saturday.
“When it comes to the final we will do whatever it takes to bring the cup back to Nigeria. ...We have a very good chance to beat South Africa, now it's time to rest two days, the extra day before the final.”
Thomas Dennerby, Nigeria Head Coach
(L-R) Sanah Mollo of South Africa celebrates the third goal with Janine van Wyk during the women's friendly match between South Africa and Bayer Leverkusen at Sport School Hennef on July 12, 2012 in Recklinghausen, Germany.
(July 11, 2012 - Source: Christof Koepsel/Getty Images Europe)
Prior to the finals on Saturday, Cameroon and Mali will play each other in the third-place playoff where the winner will also book a place in next year’s FIFA World Cup. This will be a consolation prize for The Indomitable Lionesses who failed to make it to the finals after the penalty shoot-out lottery missing out on a good chance of lifting the trophy.
The 2018 AWCON finals are set to be high-energy and tightly contested, one that promises to be an exciting watch. For now, it’s too close to call who will emerge as champions after Saturday’s final. What remains is to pick a side; Banyana Banyana or The Super Falcons, who is your favourite to take the trophy home?
2019 Women's AFCON Semis: Mali, Cameroon, South Africa & Nigeria go to war
The battle lines have been drawn, three 2019 FIFA World Cup places up for grabs as well as the much coveted Africa Women Cup of Nations gold. The three horses of the West and one representing the whole of Southern Africa - who will drop and who will have glory cast upon them?
Augustine Ejangue of Cameroon battles with Barbara of Brazil during the Women's Football first round Group E Match of the London 2012 Olympic Games between Cameroon and Brazil at Millennium Stadium on July 25, 2012 in Cardiff, Wales.
(July 24, 2012 - Source: Julian Finney/Getty Images Europe)
Nigeria, Mali, South Africa and Cameroon have made it to the semi finals of the Africa Women’s Cup of nations.
Friday night saw the last Group A matches being played with Ghana taking on Cameroon and Mali taking on Algeria. Ghana failed to recover from the setback of losing to Mali 2-1 in the second group encounter. The Black Queens needed a win to secure a semi final appearance but unfortunately they were held to a 1-1 draw by Cameroon’s fierce Indomitable Lionesses. Mali on the other hand had their date with destiny as they overcame Algeria 3-2.
Nigeria successfully dismissed Equatorial Guinea on Saturday with a 6-0 defeat while South Africa and Zambia drew 1-1. Equatorial Guinea finished at the bottom of Group B standings as the two time champions lost all three of their group stages matches. The very poor performance comes as a huge blow to the Nzalang Nacional who had successfully appealed a ban by CAF to claim their qualification just in the nick of time.Their poor performance is highly indicative of their lack of adequate preparation time despite their successful appeal.
Group A winners Cameroon will now face Nigeria in their semi-final clash on Tuesday. This semi-final will feel to many like a final due to the competitive history of these two giants in the tournament. Nigeria are ten time champions while the Cameroonians are still to claim the title despite being very close on a number of occasions. The last time Cameroon came close to lifting the cup was in the 2016 edition of AWCON when Nigeria dashed their dreams in the final once again as they did in 2014. The Indomitable Lionesses are definitely up to the task of dismissing the Nigerians, however the Super Falcons have never been an easy match for the Cameroonians or vice versa.
“Whenever we play Cameroon, it is always a big fight. We are prepared for the big fight tomorrow and we are sure we will come out victorious. There is no doubt that the Cameroonians have improved from the team we defeated in Yaounde in 2016. But that is expected.”
Ngozi Okobi #13 of Nigeria reacts after scoring the first goal against Sweden during the FIFA Women's World Cup Canada 2015 Group D match between Sweden and Nigeria at Winnipeg Stadium on June 8, 2015 in Winnipeg, Canada.
(June 7, 2015 - Source: Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images North America)
Banyana Banyana will meet Mali in their semi final encounter which promises to be just as exciting. Banyana Banyana have continued with their pre-tournament form and have been consistently churning out solid performances. Along with combined efforts, Thembi Kgatlana has been a star player and an important asset for South Africa in the attack as well as a goal scoring maestro. Despite their superior group stage performance, Banyana Banyana head coach Desiree Ellis is not taking any chances by unrating their west African counterparts. After all, Mali caused the biggest upset thus far after knocking out hosts Ghana to qualify for the semi finals by finishing second in Group A, a fact that the South Africans are very much aware of.
I predict a Nigeria vs South Africa final simply because of South Africa’s superb tournament form and because of Nigeria’s hunger and determination that saw them bouncing back from that initial loss in the first game. Are we going to see South Africa vs Nigeria go head to head in the final or perhaps it will be a Mali vs Cameroon affair? Either way, the teams that claim the first, second and third positions will receive an automatic qualification to the 2019 FIFA World Cup, a goal that will be at the top of the minds for all four countries going into their semi-final showdowns.
“The semi-finals against Mali is an all final and our thoughts are going to be the same. We are not underestimating any team,...They are not as mean. They kicked out hosts Ghana who are a competitive side and that tells a lot about their quality.”
Zimbabwe: Senior women’s team coach appeals for support
"I think the whole thing is about sponsorship"
Head coach, Sithethelelwe “Kwinji 15” Sibanda has made a familiar cry surrounding the exploits of the Mighty Warriors camp. Kwinji 15 who is a former Zimbabwean international has called upon the corporate world and any willing hearts to lend a hand as they prepare to tackle Namibia on April 5 for a place in the Women’s African Cup of Nations scheduled for November 2018 in Ghana. In particular, the Mighty Warriors mentor mentioned the lack of competitive matches in the form of international friendlies or a challenge-free domestic league as the main pain points before revealing that all the issues stem out of underinvestment into the women’s game.
"I think the whole thing is about sponsorship. My plea really is if there are any companies out there who can put their money in women football, it can go a long way in helping our girls. So that at least our national league is kept going." - Sithethelelwe Sibanda
Mighty Warriors enjoyed a fruitful 2016 that saw them qualify for the Rio Olympic games as well as the African Women Cup of Nations (AWCON) finals in Yaounde, Cameroon.